Media Service

Verdict of the Motorcycle Press: New Conti Tires Designed to Impress

Press Release

31/03/2017

ContiPressAttackDays 2017 in Majorca

Over 40 vehicles and around 10,000 test kilometers

50 journalists from ten countries on three continents

Hanover/Korbach, March 31, 2017. Over a period of ten days in mid-March, Majorca was the meeting place for international motorcycle journalists from a number of countries from the United States to Cyprus. The event responsible for bringing them to the Balearic island was the unveiling of the new generation of three tire series: the steadfast sports tourer ContiRoadAttack 3, the agile rolling cruiser ContiLegend and the unshakeable globetrotter ContiTour. The 50 international journalists were joined on the island by over 50 dealers and sales partners from all continents to give the 2017 trio a proper grilling.

In keeping with the tires, the Conti crew used the latest motorcycle models from 2017 in the test range. The vehicle fleet contained over 40 models, including the BMW S1000R, R1200R and R1200RT; the Ducati Monster and Multistrada; the KTM Superduke 1290; the Honda VFR800X; the Yamaha MT09 and MT10; the Triumph Speed Triple; and the Harley Davidson Road King. The test drives, which were split into three groups, started on different routes to enable the drivers to swap vehicles when they made their stops so they could put all the new models through their paces. This was a logistical challenge, which the ambitious Conti team mastered with consummate ease.

On the evening before the practical test phase, three workshops were held to provide an insight into the theory behind tire technology, test procedures and global mobility. Product managers Sagren Nair and Sascha Till along with Joachim Sprenger from R&D gave an overview of the extensive and meticulous development work, while Malte Lauritz-Bigge, head test driver, and Christian Schikschneit, head of the two-wheeler testing department, gave a report on the action-packed daily testing and development schedule. Sales and marketing head Spyridon Spyridonu discussed the top performance record and future strategy of the Continental Corporation. Special emphasis was placed on Vision Zero, which includes the long-term aim of preventing traffic accidents using technological innovations and superior tire properties.

At the end of what were ten informative and eventful test days, the Conti crew, sales partners and members of the international press were all in agreement: Continental’s “newbies” put in an incredibly impressive performance across the board, the workshops were as interesting as they were informative, and the extensive test drives covering roughly 10,000 kilometers through the north-west of the fairytale Majorcan island provided a particular highlight to the rigorous testing schedule.